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1. During the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and surrounded it with his army.
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1. In the third H7969 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 came H935 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 unto Jerusalem H3389 , and besieged H6696 H5921 it.
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2. The Lord allowed Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jehoiakim king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the things from the Temple of God, which he carried to Babylonia and put in the temple of his gods.
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2. And the Lord H136 gave H5414 H853 Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 into his hand H3027 , with part H4480 H7117 of the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God H430 : which he carried into H935 the land H776 of Shinar H8152 to the house H1004 of his god H430 ; and he brought H935 the vessels H3627 into the treasure H214 house H1004 of his god H430 .
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3. Then King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring some of the Israelite men into his palace. He wanted them to be from important families, including the family of the king of Judah.
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3. And the king H4428 spoke H559 unto Ashpenaz H828 the master H7227 of his eunuchs H5631 , that he should bring H935 certain of the children H4480 H1121 of Israel H3478 , and of the king's seed H4480 H2233 H4410 , and of H4480 the princes H6579 ;
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4. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only young Israelite men who had nothing wrong with them. They were to be handsome and well educated, capable of learning and understanding, and able to serve in his palace. Ashpenaz was to teach them the language and writings of the Babylonians.
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4. Children H3206 in whom H834 was no H369 H3605 blemish H3971 , but well favored H2896 H4758 , and skillful H7919 in all H3605 wisdom H2451 , and cunning H3045 in knowledge H1847 , and understanding H995 science H4093 , and such H834 as had ability H3581 in them to stand H5975 in the king H4428 's palace H1964 , and whom they might teach H3925 the learning H5612 and the tongue H3956 of the Chaldeans H3778 .
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5. The king gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, just like the food he ate. The young men were to be trained for three years, and then they would become servants of the king of Babylon.
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5. And the king H4428 appointed H4487 them a daily H3117 H3117 provision H1697 of the king's meat H4480 H6598 H4428 , and of the wine H4480 H3196 which he drank H4960 : so nourishing H1431 them three H7969 years H8141 , that at the end H4480 H7117 thereof they might stand H5975 before H6440 the king H4428 .
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6. Among those young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the people of Judah.
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6. Now among these were H1961 of the children H4480 H1121 of Judah H3063 , Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 :
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7. Ashpenaz, the chief officer, gave them Babylonian names. Daniel's new name was Belteshazzar, Hananiah's was Shadrach, Mishael's was Meshach, and Azariah's was Abednego.
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7. Unto whom the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 gave H7760 names H8034 : for he gave H7760 unto Daniel H1840 the name of Belteshazzar H1095 ; and to Hananiah H2608 , of Shadrach H7714 ; and to Mishael H4332 , of Meshach H4335 ; and to Azariah H5838 , of Abed H5664 -nego.
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8. Daniel decided not to eat the king's food or drink his wine because that would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.
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8. But Daniel H1840 purposed H7760 in H5921 his heart H3820 that H834 he would not H3808 defile himself H1351 with the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 , nor with the wine H3196 which he drank H4960 : therefore he requested H1245 of the prince H4480 H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 that H834 he might not H3808 defile himself H1351 .
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9. God made Ashpenaz, the chief officer, want to be kind and merciful to Daniel,
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9. Now God H430 had brought H5414 H853 Daniel H1840 into favor H2617 and tender love H7356 with H6440 the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 .
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10. but Ashpenaz said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king. He ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you begin to look worse than other young men your age, the king will see this. Then he will cut off my head because of you."
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10. And the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 said H559 unto Daniel H1840 , I H589 fear H3372 H853 my lord H113 the king H4428 , who H834 hath appointed H4487 H853 your meat H3978 and your drink H4960 : for H834 why H4100 should he see H7200 H853 your faces H6440 worse liking H2196 than H4480 the children H3206 which H834 are of your sort H1524 ? then shall ye make me endanger H2325 H853 my head H7218 to the king H4428 .
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11. Ashpenaz had ordered a guard to watch Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
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11. Then said H559 Daniel H1840 to H413 Melzar H4453 , whom H834 the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 had set H4487 over H5921 Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 ,
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12. Daniel said to the guard, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don't give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
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12. Prove H5254 H853 thy servants H5650 , I beseech thee H4994 , ten H6235 days H3117 ; and let them give H5414 us pulse H2235 to eat H398 , and water H4325 to drink H8354 .
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13. After ten days compare how we look with how the other young men look who eat the king's food. See for yourself and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."
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13. Then let our countenances H4758 be looked upon H7200 before H6440 thee , and the countenance H4758 of the children H3206 that eat H398 H853 of the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 : and as H834 thou seest H7200 , deal H6213 with H5973 thy servants H5650 .
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14. So the guard agreed to test them for ten days.
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14. So he consented H8085 to them in this H2088 matter H1697 , and proved H5254 them ten H6235 days H3117 .
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15. After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who ate the king's food.
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15. And at the end H4480 H7117 of ten H6235 days H3117 their countenances H4758 appeared H7200 fairer H2896 and fatter H1277 in flesh H1320 than H4480 all H3605 the children H3206 which did eat H398 H853 the portion of the king's meat H6598 H4428 .
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16. So the guard took away the king's special food and wine, feeding them vegetables instead.
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16. Thus Melzar H4453 took away H5375 H853 the portion of their meat H6598 , and the wine H3196 that they should drink H4960 ; and gave H5414 them pulse H2235 .
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17. God gave these four young men wisdom and the ability to learn many things that people had written and studied. Daniel could also understand visions and dreams.
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17. As for these H428 four H702 children H3206 , God H430 gave H5414 them knowledge H4093 and skill H7919 in all H3605 learning H5612 and wisdom H2451 : and Daniel H1840 had understanding H995 in all H3605 visions H2377 and dreams H2472 .
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18. At the end of the time set for them by the king, Ashpenaz brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar.
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18. Now at the end H4480 H7117 of the days H3117 that H834 the king H4428 had said H559 he should bring them in H935 , then the prince H8269 of the eunuchs H5631 brought them in H935 before H6440 Nebuchadnezzar H5019 .
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19. The king talked to them and found that none of the young men were as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So those four young men became the king's servants.
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19. And the king H4428 communed H1696 with H854 them ; and among them all H4480 H3605 was found H4672 none H3808 like Daniel H1840 , Hananiah H2608 , Mishael H4332 , and Azariah H5838 : therefore stood H5975 they before H6440 the king H4428 .
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20. Every time the king asked them about something important, they showed much wisdom and understanding. They were ten times better than all the fortune-tellers and magicians in his kingdom!
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20. And in all H3605 matters H1697 of wisdom H2451 and understanding H998 , that H834 the king H4428 inquired H1245 of H4480 them , he found H4672 them ten H6235 times H3027 better than H5921 all H3605 the magicians H2748 and astrologers H825 that H834 were in all H3605 his realm H4438 .
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21. So Daniel continued to be the king's servant until the first year Cyrus was king.
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21. And Daniel H1840 continued H1961 even unto H5704 the first H259 year H8141 of king H4428 Cyrus H3566 .
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